


come, dawn.

by komorykatt



Category: Stella Glow
Genre: Canon Compliant, Heavy Angst, M/M, Retelling, xeno's end but make it gayer
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-06-04
Updated: 2020-06-04
Packaged: 2021-03-04 07:15:35
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Major Character Death
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,427
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24539863
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/komorykatt/pseuds/komorykatt
Summary: Under the pale light of the moon, a tainted king weeps. Only the merciful touch of an old friend can deliver him from the pain of this cruel world.
Relationships: Elcrest/Klaus | Xeno
Comments: 1
Kudos: 8





	come, dawn.

“Will you… end this pain for me?” A wayward voice cracked the silence strung taut in the cold air, hollow and stripped of the light it once carried. It was devoid of all the love that shone in a heart that cared, cared, and cared far too much for one soul to bear. The voice that once danced in his ear, a jest upon his tongue, a rumble of laughter trailing his kind praise.

Oh, how he missed the sound of his laugh. 

The hero of legend stood tall before the fallen monster, but not at all proud. His bright eyes stuck glued to the face of the broken angel at his feet, a crumbled man who whispered his last wishes to a long lost friend.

No matter how much time passed between them, he couldn’t leave him like that. A valiant king did not deserve to pass from this world upon the cold ground, strewn at the feet of his subject, his partner, his _beloved_. It was just too cruel.

The sword Elcrest held with poised resolve wavered, and fell down at his hip. Though his friend begged him for a swift end, the greatest mercy that only he could grant, he couldn’t bear to let it end this way. Not with so much unsaid, so much lost. Not when the memories they shared danced behind his eyelids every time his eyes closed. Even though this body no longer belonged to him, could he still spare to be greedy, even if just for a moment? To give final peace to one he held so dear, yet allowed to fall so far?

Perhaps it was only to soothe the ache that stirred in his chest, to ease the guilt that gnawed into the heart he had no right to mar. It was a selfish, selfish desire, but still he was dragged by the memories. The ghost of their bond tugged him along, just as bright and brilliant as the days they spent tugging each other down the castle halls, hand-in-hand.

The clatter of his sword rang out in the silence of held breath, and Elcrest dropped to his knees beside his broken king.

Xeno’s tired eyes widened a fraction. The sword meant to deliver a swift end to a life that lasted too long laid discarded among the moon’s rubble, the gentle touch of an old friend chasing its place. The gruesome end he deserved stalled just before deliverance, hanging treacherously beside a warmth he had since forgotten.

“That’s my job. I’m your friend, after all.” Nonetheless, Elcrest spoke, his grief stricken voice like a song more beautiful than any Witch’s. Xeno hurt. The pain of his battered body had faded into a peaceful numbness, but hurt still ebbed within his chest, a sinful longing for days beyond his reach.

The space between them was small and receding, and Elcrest reached for the false angel dressed with a face beyond recognition. He gathered Xeno, broken as he was, into his arms and pulled him close against his chest. His grip was gentle yet firm, unwilling to let go, unwilling to do anything but pull their heads closer and tuck Xeno’s grease-slicked hair beneath his chin. They were still, wrapped in a moment of time all their own.

Fate was cruel, unrelenting as the savage passage of time that stood between two hallowed souls. But no matter the sins that lay bare at their feet, the heroes of old deserved more than the fate that awaited them. Their hearts sang together for more, more, _more_. One more touch, one more moment, one more breath. 

“I’m sorry, Xeno.” He could hardly hear the whisper pressed hot against his cheek. It was a quiet breath passed through parted lips, hanging in the air for him and him alone. “I’m so sorry…”

With the last of the strength that had yet to slip through his fingers, Xeno reached back. He lifted a shaky hand, clad with the armor of Mother’s angels until no flesh remained, and cupped Elcrest’s chin in his steely palm. He was cold, so cold it brought tears stinging to Elcrest’s eyes.

“I don’t deserve your apology… I should be the one pleading for your forgiveness.” His words were sad and fading, carried only by a lick of strength. His touch upon Elcrest’s cheek felt so frail, as though it could fall away at any moment.

“No… No, Xeno, I was the fool.” Elcrest fought against the emotions caught in his throat to speak. His hand met Xeno’s and fingers clutched it tight in his grip, pressing it harder against his cheek. He wouldn’t let Xeno’s hand fall away from him, not this time. “I wish that I could do something more.”

A slight smile broke on Xeno’s lips, the closest to a genuine smile he had come in a long, long time. “This… is far more than I deserve, my friend.” Yet undeserving as he may be, he fell into the moment, grateful and content, hanging over the edge of life in the arms of someone so precious to him.

It felt as though time stood still as they stared into each other’s eyes until the end of days. Then came movement, Elcrest leaned down, closer, closer still, until Xeno could feel breath against his skin. He hovered for a moment, mere inches apart, then finally allowed the last of his inhibition to slip away and their lips met. It was a kiss so sweet and tender, one that either said _goodbye_ or _welcome back_ , Xeno wasn’t sure. And in that moment suspended in time, it didn’t matter which.

_I love you._ They were words not spoken, not heard, but felt through Xeno’s entire being. Their souls were close, hearts even closer, closer than they’d ever been before. If he were to die then please, let him die just like this.

_I love you, too, Elc. I always have._ His heart spoke back, spilling forth words and feelings that had always longed to be free.

The touch of lips against his own, the drops of warm tears spilling along his cheeks, it was all Xeno could feel, all he ever wanted to feel. For just this once he allowed himself to pray, to any being that could possibly deem him worthy of listening to, that this moment may never end.

The world fell away from them, like a dream unfolding at the seams. The shocked chatter of the knights he had deceived as ‘Klaus’ drifted further and further away, until the only sound was that of him and Elcrest. Their every breath, every heartbeat filling the space between. It was better that way, so peaceful, so warm. 

Memories flowed through the empty space around them, specters of them dancing, them sparring, them dining, them laughing. All together, always together. The feel of their blades scraping against each other, of their bodies pressed together, of their voices blending as one. Cherished memories rushed around Xeno, memories that had served as nothing more than nightmares for a millennia. He could see them clearly at last, feel the light, the warmth, the love he had scorned for so long.

To drift away from his eternal pain, his fingers entwined with his beloved partner, was more than he could possibly deserve. But Elcrest would not leave his side, in this world or the next. Not after they had found each other again.

_Thank you, my friend._

They set forth, like a blaze of light streaking the night sky.

Alto stared down at the body that once was his esteemed Commander, his weary eyes shut and his lips curled in an everlasting smile. The body that remained was gruesome and broken, but the soul that departed knew only peace.

Tears rolled fresh down dirtied cheeks, blurring the sight of a tragedy none should remember him by. He knew for sure deep in his heart, more empty than it had ever been in his life, that Elcrest was chasing after him toward that very same peace.

Slowly, carefully, Alto stood. He picked the sword entrusted to him off the ground and returned it to its sheath. With a faint, sad smile upon his lips, he wiped the tears from his eyes.

The story of a King and his Conductor, a bittersweet legend lost to history. The book closed on their long and agonized tale, with the end they both so longed for. Side by side, never to be apart again.

May their eyes open again to a bright new dawn, together at last.

**Author's Note:**

> HAPPY 5TH ANNIVERSARY, STELLA GLOW!!!!! I LOVE YOU SO MUCH!!!! i can't believe it's been 5 years already, I just had to whip up something little to commemorate it. i didn't have any particular ideas in mind tho so I decided to go for writing a little love letter to the scene that most broke me and forever sealed stella glow as something very special to me. i hadn't watched xeno's death in a hot minute and boy lemme tell you watching it again to write this had me bawling like a baby all over again :' ) i wanted to incorporate more of the gut wrenching dialogue of xeno's actual death scene but i was running out of steam and couldn't fit it in. im gay and tired, they're gay and tired, such is life happy pride month
> 
> i'm still the #1 advocate of the let klaus live campaign but i can have a little klaus death angst...as a treat


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